


Singles Will Be Paired

by talesofnarry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 13:02:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5418101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talesofnarry/pseuds/talesofnarry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall and Harry are strangers that have to ride a roller coaster together</p>
            </blockquote>





	Singles Will Be Paired

For England it’s bloody hot, sun shining down on Niall’s pale Irish skin.

“I’ll be a burnt fucker by the end of today that’s for sure mate” he says turning to Liam, “I can already feel me arms burning”

“You’ll all be burnt, pasty english bastards” quips his other friend Zayn.

“Oi don’t act like you weren’t born and raised in England Zayn, you’re just as english as we are” Liam retorts.

“Yeah alright, but at least I’m not blinding those around me” he responds while dramatically throwing his hand in front of his eyes almost hitting a woman walking past him. “There she is lads, Saw The Ride” he says it as if he’s introducing a film. Though the drama is warranted, it is the whole reason they even came to Thorpe Park in the first place. It’s supposed to be amazing, Willie wouldn’t shut up about it ever since he went to the park with a couple of his mates from school so Niall finally decided it was his turn to go on it. He was really excited, he’s always liked roller coasters ever since he was a little kid and could only go on the tiny dragon themed one. He’s especially excited for this roller coaster, however, because of the added element of fear given that it’s based off of the horror movie franchise “Saw”. It’s then that he looks up and sees a sign that makes his heart drop a little bit “Singles will be paired” it reads. They’re a group of three so one of them will have to be paired up with a complete stranger, he just hopes that Liam and Zayn will be forgiving and understanding and offer to go alone. He looks up at them and sees that they’ve noticed the sign as well. 

“Well, I guess one of us is going solo then” Niall says trying to make it clear that he won’t be volunteering without seeming like a dick.

“You wanna just do a rock paper scissors to figure out who goes alone?” Liam suggests. And that’s why Niall likes Liam, always so practical, always has a solution that benefits everyone - especially because Zayn is SO predictable when it comes to rock paper scissors that he knows he’s going to win.

He doesn’t.

In a spectacular turn of events he loses every single time the three of them play, and the go through a couple times because Niall doesn’t care if he’s being a dick anymore he just REALLY doesn’t want to sit next to some stranger of this roller coaster, especially if it means he may have to sit in line longer just to wait for the poor sucker to show up.

But he loses. Every game. So he sucks it up and heads into the line.

They’re slowly making their way up the line when Niall leans back against the fence to try and find some shade when he notices the guys behind him. Truly he noticed them a while ago because they’ve been arguing for a while, not that he’s been listening, either way they’re whisper arguing so he can’t make out what they’re saying. But now that he’s leaning against the fence he can actually see the guys in question. There’s three of them - which is kind of ironic because it means that he’s going to be riding with one of them - one of the guys is definitely older and quite a bit taller with an even taller brown quiff, one of them is much shorter with scraggly brown hair and a bit of scruff, but the third guy is the one Niall can’t seem to take his eyes off of. He’s tall with long brown curly hair and legs that stretch for miles in these sinfully tight black jeans and incredible lips that are pushed out in a pout, he’s definitely the one arguing the most, he seems really unhappy which makes Niall curious as he tries to listen closer to what the three men are saying. He’s also curious what the guy’s eyes looks like seeing as right now they’re hidden behind sunglasses - though he can still tell that his eyebrows are furrowed in frustration. 

“GOD this isn’t fair Nick!!” Hot guy says suddenly and  _wow_  his voice is deep and maybe it turns Niall on a bit, not that he’d ever admit it.

“Oh suck it up buttercup, it’ll be good for you” the tall guy - Nick, Niall reminds himself - says fondly to Hottie, “you said you wanted to try new things, so we’re just helping to give you a push along the way! This is more than fair, this is nice, we’re good friends.”

It’s when Hottie looks up and locks eyes with Niall that he knows he’s been staring too long, blushing he turns away and looks back at Liam and Zayn instead. And wow ok he really wishes he hadn’t done that, they are full on snogging in the middle of the queue for this roller coaster, that is definitely something he didn’t want to see, especially when he catches a glimpse of tongue.

“Oi break it up!!! You’re in fucking public! Have some decency! Also you’re holding up the line. C’mon chop chop let’s move” he says physically pushing the two along. 

“Oh come on Nialler you’ve seen us snog plenty of times and you’ve never seemed to care before” Liam says in a chiding tone.

“Yeah well it’s hot out and you fuckers are making me sit with a total stranger so you can fuck right off thank you” he’s really not that upset about the whole “singles will be paired thing”, it could be worse. 

“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you” says a deep slow voice the same time Niall feels a gentle tap on his shoulder. Turning he sees Hottie looking down at him with big wide eyes - green, by the way, gorgeous, beautiful, mesmerizing green.

“Ummm”  _Oh great, fucking amazing first impression Niall_ he thinks to himself  _sound like a right bloody idiot_. “Um hi?”

“Hi, my names Harry and I couldn’t help but overhear you saying you were riding alone?”

“Oh um yeah, um I’m Niall”  _OH MY GOD STOP SAYING UM YOU FUCKING TWAT_  “Why do you ask?”

“Well it just so happens I am as well, and I’m not sure if you noticed the sign that says “Singles will be paired”? Anyway I was hoping that maybe you wouldn’t mind going on the ride with me?” Harry asks with so much hope in his voice and written all over his face, he’s honestly beautiful; Niall’s not sure he’s ever seen someone so beautiful before.

“O ‘course mate! We can ride together no problem. Oh and this is Liam and his boyfriend Zayn, guys this is Harry we’re gonna pair up together for this ride.”

“Nice to meet you” Liam says sticking his hand out for Harry to shake.

“It’s a pleasure. And this is Nick and Louis, Nick Louis this is Niall, Zayn and Liam. Niall’s gonna be my partner on this ride” Harry says gesturing to his two friends. At his last statement Louis gives him a wink and a few suggestive eyebrow raises, but Niall misses them having turned back to move up the line again. They’ve still got a ways to go before they’re even inside the building where the ride starts, but Niall feels better now that Hottie - Harry - is with him. 

Harry comes to stand with him and he can feel butterflies in his stomach.

“Is that supposed to be a pun?”  He asks, gesturing at Harry’s stomach where there’s a large butterfly tattoo visible through the sheer shirt that’s only buttoned half way. “The butterfly I mean, is it supposed to be like a visual pun on the saying that you’ve got butterflies in your stomach?”

“Oh um no” He sounds kind of confused when he answers and Niall feels like a twat for asking.

“Sorry it was just the first thing I thought of when I saw it” which isn’t technically a lie, though it not necessarily true either.

“No don’t be sorry it’s just I have never been asked that before, it kind of surprised me. Though I do have another tattoo that IS a pun” He looks so excited as he says it, as if hopeful that Niall will be the person to finally find it funny that he has his heart on his sleeve. And he does, he may roll his eyes first but he chuckles at it, wonders if there’s a deeper story to it, a reason that Harry wears his heart on his sleeve, knows somehow that he has it more than for some dumb pun. 

“Do you have any tattoos Niall?” Harry asks as he rolls his sleeve back down, not that Niall’s staring at his hands, no way.

“Nope” he replies, popping his lips on the p a little bit as they keep moving forward in line.

“Really? Why not?” Harry asks sounding very surprised.

“I’ve just never found anything that I wanted to be on my body for the rest of me life, plus me mam would kill me - proper Catholic she is” he replies laughing remembering how his mother had reacted when Greg brought up that he was considering getting a tattoo once years ago.

“Does she still live in Ireland?” Harry asks, surprising Niall with the change of subject.

“Yeah me whole family’s there. None of ‘em have left Mullingar since me great granddad first moved there.”

“What made you leave then?” And wow ok they’re talking about family, it’s kind of strange considering he just met Harry, but he feels comfortable around him and - though he may not be ready to admit it to himself quite yet - he trusts him, so he tells the truth.

“I wanted to study music and I wanted to see something, be somewhere new around people who had greater ambitions than just settling down one day. And I got into uni at Bristol so I decided to take the chance and move out on me own. I go back for holidays and all that but definitely not as much as me mam would like”

“Wow” Harry sounds a little breathless when he says it and he looks at Niall in awe, “I could never imagine doing something like that. I mean, I understand it and the desire to go out on your own, but I could ever move out of the country. Moving out of Cheshire was hard enough. You’re really brave Niall.” And the way he smiles down at Niall makes him curl his toes and look away to try and hide his blush.

“I’m sorry to interject here, but I really have to disagree with you Harry, Niall is not brave. He calls his mother at least once a day and then after he talks with her he calls his brother and then calls his father and then most days rinse and repeat. Sorry Nialler, you know it’s true” Liam says with a shit eating grin on his face.

“Oh wow thank you so much for your input Liam, thank you also for listening in on our conversation. Why don’t you just go snog your boyfriend you knob”

“Hmmm good idea Nialler, thanks” Zayns says winking at Niall before grabbing hold of Liam’s face and kissing him as if his life depends on it.

“Sorry um they can be a bit much, they have a hard time with boundaries sometimes” Niall says turning back to Harry.

“No, you know it’s kind of cute, you can tell they love each other which is nice.” He says smiling sweetly at the couple before looking back at Niall. It makes Niall’s heart swoop and beat against his chest even harder as he smiles weakly back up at the other lad. “So, anyway, do you still live in Bristol? Or have you graduated already?”

“No I managed to graduate in three years so I moved to London, that’s where I met those two idiots. Liam’s my roommate actually, though he didn’t mention just how much time his boyfriend would be over when we signed the lease” He says giving a pointed stare at the couple now cuddling and holding hands.

“Aw sod off mate” Liam says giving Niall the finger and Zayn another kiss, though they miraculously keep it chaste this time.

“Yeah right” Niall grumbles but he’s smiling anyway.

“You know you guys remind me of Nick and Louis, not that they’re a couple as well but the whole pretending to hate each other thing, they do that too” Harry tells him laughing. 

“How did you guys all meet?” Niall asks then, curious how Harry’s good friends with someone seemingly ten years older than he is.

“Louis and I met in uni, and Nick and I work together, we’re both radio DJs.”

“Really? That’s so cool! What channel are you on so I can listen sometime?” Niall asks excitedly.

“Oh um it’s on BBC Radio 1″ Harry says shyly, not really making eye contact with Niall and blushing.

“You’re joking right? I listen to Radio 1 all day and I have never heard your voice before today. Unless oh my god you do the morning show!”

“Yeah, I take it you’re not an early bird?” Harry asks laughing both out of embarrassment and amusement at how excited Niall seems to be about it all.

“God no, that’s why I want to work in music, you don’t necessarily have to wake up early” 

“So do you sing? Write songs? Produce music? You’ve never really explained it.” 

“Um a little bit of everything I guess? Mainly I write, but I can also play and sing a bit. Mainly just to help the writing process along though to be honest.”

“Are you two a pair?” A voice all of a sudden asks startling them out of their conversation together. Niall hadn’t even noticed when they got inside, and now he’s really surprised he hadn’t. There’s screaming sound effects everywhere, clips of Jigsaw asking if they want to play a game are projected all over the walls, there’s fake blood all around, it’s really quite gruesome, and yet this is the first Niall’s ever seen of it, he hadn’t even noticed how much cooler it had gotten. He looks over to see that Harry seems confused too, and is glad he’s not the only one who got caught up in their conversation. 

“Oh um yeah, we’re together” Niall says blushing at how much he wishes they really were together.

“Alright then just head on up the stairs.” The attendant tells the in a bored voice.

“I’m really excited for this ride, to be honest it’s the main reason why we came here in the first place.” Niall says to Harry as they’re climbing the stairs. When they get to the top Harry pulls Niall so that they’re facing each other, he seems incredibly nervous and even kind of pale as he searches Niall’s face for something, finding nothing more than surprise and confusion.

“OK so I gotta be honest with you Niall, I hate roller coasters and I really don’t like scary movies I was forced on here by Nick and Louis so please don’t judge me if I scream more than maybe I ought to.” Harry tells him nervously, avoiding Niall’s gaze, dropping his eyes in shame even more when Niall starts laughing.

“Mate, who the fuck cares how much you scream?” Which surprises Harry because he was expecting something more like, ‘you idiot it’s just a roller coaster grow up’. Something more like what Nick or Louis would say really. “If you want you can hold my hand or something.” Niall offers and wow yeah Harry is gonna take him up on that offer not just because he’s scared but also because Niall has beautiful strong hands. 

Niall would be lying if he said he wasn’t surprised when Harry took his hand then and there, not even waiting until they were on the ride, but he’d also be lying if he said it didn’t make him immensely happy. He gives Harry’s hand a squeeze as they step into the car, having to let go to let the chest guards come down. He’s pleasantly surprised again when Harry immediately takes his hand back, squeezing it harder than before, probably because he’s so nervous.

“Hey Harry” Niall says softly, hoping it sounds reassuring, “You know we can get off right now if you want. We don’t have to go on this ride, if you don’t want to. We can get off and get cotton candy and ride the Ferris Wheel instead.”

“No I want to do this” Harry says, but it means the world to him that Niall would offer to not go on the ride even though he just said how much he’s been looking forward to it. Nick’s right though as much as he hates to admit it, going on this ride will expand his horizons in at least a small way so it’s better he stick to his guns than back out now.

“OK” Niall says again in that soft voice. “And hey, there’s nothing to worry about, we’ll go up and down and take a couple turns, and then it’ll be over in no time. There’s nothing to be nervous about.”

They listen to the safety warnings go on and then the car is being pulled up for the first drop. Niall gives Harry’s hand another reassuring squeeze before the car drops down and the ride really begins.

“So?” Niall asks “how was it in the end? Just as bad as you imagined?” He personally loved it, thought it really lived up to everything Willie had talked it up to being. But he is worried that for Harry’s first real roller coaster it was probably a bit too much.

“Honestly? Not as bad as I expected it to be. Thanks for making me feel safe Niall” squeezing his hand again. They never actually let go, the guards came up without them needing to so Niall just decided to hold on as long as Harry would let him. 

“SO?? How’d you like it??????” Nick yells at Harry as they meet up again on their way outside.

“It wasn’t so bad, but I think I need to do something chilled out for a bit.” 

“Aww you’re no fun Harry we were gonna go on The Swarm, I’ve heard it’s even better” Louis tells him.

“I’ve never been on The Swarm, mind if we tag along?” Zayn asks.

“Nah mate, the more the merrier you know what they say” Louis says clapping Zayn on the back. And it’s weird seeing their friends get on so well, makes him think that if he and Harry ever were a couple it would go over pretty smoothly. The thought makes his butterflies even worse as he looks down at where he’s still holding Harry’s hand.

“I’m with Harry on this one. I just want to get something to eat and have a walk around. Maybe play a few games.” So they split off, the other four going off to go on as many rides as they can and Harry and Niall off to wander around the park.

“Hey, I know you like roller coasters I’m sorry you’re stuck with me for the day.” Harry murmurs shyly as he and Niall try and find a cool place to sit down.

“Are you kidding? Harry first off I chose to hang out with you so obviously I’m not stuck with you, plus I’m really not in the mood to just sit in line and then get paired with strangers. No thank you.” He swings their hands back and forth as he says it and when he looks over at Harry he’s watching their hands with a smile on his face. It’s kind of jarring really how beautiful Harry is, how his hair blows in the wind and his green eyes sparkle. It’s cheesy yeah, but who cares Harry is gorgeous and Niall wants to kiss him. Instead he plops him down on a bench and tells him to wait there. He comes back a couple minutes later with a soda and some cotton candy. “I told you we could have cotton candy, but I wasn’t really sure what kind of soda you like so I just got a Diet Coke for us to share. I hope you don’t mind, I can get a second straw if you’re worried about germs and stuff.”

“No, Niall this is perfect. You didn’t have to do all this.”

“Hey my pleasure. I feel kind of bad that Nick dragged you onto that ride, though I’m also glad he did it. I’m glad we got to meet.” He admits, looking down at the cotton candy between them rather than up at Harry, fearing the worst in his reaction.

“Me too” And when Niall finally does look up it’s to see the most blindingly beautiful smile on Harry’s face. He smiles back shyly, his breath catching slightly when Harry pops a piece of candy floss in his mouth, not that he’s staring at how Harry licks his lips to catch a piece stuck to the corner of his mouth. He distracts himself by drinking some soda  _God get yourself together Horan, yeah OK he’s the most beautiful man to ever walk the earth, whatever fine, that’s not a big dea- oh my god that’s not even fair that’s just not right his lips are the same color as the fucking cotton candy. Except his lips are nicer, fuck this shit he’s so pretty it ought to be illegal_. 

He’s pulled from his thoughts when Harry lifts the cotton candy closer to him, “Aren’t you gonna have any? I mean you bought it and all” Harry asks.

“Yeah cheers” he says taking a piece of and letting it dissolve on his tongue. In no time they’ve finished it all, left with sticky fingers and lips. 

“There’s a bathroom down there we can go wash our hands” Harry says laughing at the exaggerated faces Niall’s making. After washing their hands they make their way through the park passing through all the food places until they reach the games section. They keep walking until Harry pulls Niall to a stop in front of the game involving a clown’s head, a balloon, and a water gun.

“Harry? What are we doing?” 

“Gonna win you something” Harry responds with a very determined look on his face. It makes Niall’s heart swell with fondness and joy, no one’s ever won him something from a carnival game before. Though seeing how uncoordinated Harry can be he’s not sure how much faith to put in the man. He is pleasantly surprised when Harry manages to pop the clown’s balloon within the time given. 

“WOOHOO!!!!!” Niall cheers high-fiving Harry as he steps off his stool. 

“Which prize do you want” asks another bored attendant. “You can choose from any on the top shelf.”

“The giraffe please” Harry answers quickly grabbing it from the guy and presenting it to Niall. Which is harder that it ought to be given how giant the giraffe is. “Her name is Ginny Giraffe, I hope you take care of her well.”

“The only woman to ever be in my bed” Niall murmurs laughing. “Hello Ginny, lovely to meet you.” He bows cordially to the stuffed giraffe as if she’s the queen, cackling with laughter the entire time. He’s not the only one to have found himself funny he realizes to his delight when he looks over to find Harry doubled up in silent laughter. 

Grinning they continue walking through the park helping each other carry Ginny the Giant Giraffe They’re sitting down in the shade again when Niall finally asks Harry what’s been on his mind, “Um Harry, can I ask, why did you want to win me something?”

“Oh well I saw the giraffe and I thought you’d like it because you said earlier it was your favorite animal.” Harry’s looking down at the ground as he says it, his cheeks bright pink and his voice quieter than normal.

“You know I looked around the whole park and I couldn’t find a single turtle for you, it’s really a tragedy. You’d think they’d have at least one.” He hopes Harry understands what he’s trying to say, that whatever Harry’s feeling for him is completely mutual, if not more possibly. But that they both remembered the other’s favorite animal and actively searched for it throughout the park tells Niall that maybe he’s not the only one with butterflies in his stomach. Harry looks up shyly at him then.

“You looked?” He practically whispers it, luckily Niall’s leaned in close and can hear his quiet voice.

“Of course I looked Harry. I really like you, I was actually hoping I could ask you out to dinner?” He’s pretty inexperienced with asking people out, has only ever done it twice before and never with someone he’s like as much as Harry so it’s not surprise when he starts rambling. “We both live in London so we could go somewhere there and um to be honest I have yet to think of a place to go, but -”

“Literally anywhere is fine” Harry cuts him off with a giddy smile on his face. “I’d go anywhere.”

“Really?”

“Yeah you idiot, I really like you too.” They sit there for a while just smiling at each other until they both start laughing.

“You know” Harry says, with a mischievous smile on his face, once they’ve both calmed down, “I drove here, we could just go to dinner now.”

“I’m sure Liam would be happy to give Nick and Louis a ride home” Niall says grinning, “he’s a very generous man, very kind.”

“Nick and Louis are both very understanding I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.” 

**

Niall falls asleep that night running his fingers over his lips. They feel different to him now that they’ve been touched by Harry’s. They tingle even hours after their kiss. It’s nothing like Niall’s ever felt before. And if he dreams of Harry’s smile that night he doesn’t tell anyone,  except maybe Ginny.


End file.
